The Dragon's Cache: Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 Review

Saturday, April 1, 2023

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 Review

Writer: Tini Howard

Artist: Vasco Georgiev

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Erica d’Urso & Matthew Wilson; Ramon Villalobos & Jesus Abertov

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 29, 2023

Betsy Braddock and Rachel Summers lead all known Captain Britains against Morgan Le Fay and her Furies. When she realizes the forces of Good will carry the day, Morgan Le Fay retreats. Betsy guesses Morgan will try to mold a potential Captain Britain, and Rachel locates one on Earth-76. Can Betsy and Rachel arrive in time to save a possible Captain Britain from falling under Morgan Le Fay’s sway? Let’s teleport into Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 and see what happens next!

Story

In her London flat on Earth-76, Lizzie Braddock searches her poorly stocked fridge for dinner. She's overwhelmed when Morgan Le Fay appears. She’s heard others talk about Merlin, King Arthur, and Morgan Le Fay but never believed they were real. Lizzie's a capable member of S.T.R.I.K.E. with the mutant power of telekinesis. Morgan offers to help her become more. When Betsy and Rachel arrive, Morgan asks Lizzie to help her defeat them.

We learn more about British mythology—and how it relates to Marvel’s Multiverse—in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2. We also meet Captain Peggy Carter, a WWII super-soldier recently discovered in the arctic. Revived, she now defends Britain on behalf of S.T.R.I.K.E. We learn that Morgan can emulate Madrox’s mutant ability to raise her game. Every hero gets her moment as each faces off against the legendary witch.

Art

Betsy and Rachel levitate, fly, and look at ease in the air. Lizzie appears far away when viewed from inside her mostly-barren fridge. Morgan Le Fay's black dress flows and splays out at the bottom, reminiscent of Morticia Adams. Lizzie's window bursts and fragments as Morgan hurls her power at Betsy and Rachel. While backgrounds occasionally give way to direction lines, most panels provide a fully realized setting. Pleasing compositions make the story easy to follow.

Red unites Betsy and Rachel. Black-clad Morgan casts green everywhere she goes in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2. Lizzie and Betsy share lavender hair, and Betsy's power manifests in that color. A Harry Potteresque scene shows Morgan stave off Morgan's power—not from wands but foreheads. When she's injured, strands of Morgan's black hair turn gray. All turns black in one panel when Morgan hurls her terrible power at Lizzie. All we glimpse is Lizzie's glowing form, outlined in red.

Dialogue balloons arrangement makes them easy to follow. Psychic communication appears in puffy clouds with a hint of an X. Stressed words are bold. The Furies get black dialogue balloons with white lettering. Sound effects are expressive and inventive. If only the upper-and-lowercase lettering didn't start small and shrink for lowered voices. Older X-fans: give the physical comic to your children and keep the digital copy for yourself!

Final Thoughts

The first issue lured me in with a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Now it seems Britannica Rex may not regularly appear in this series. Even the Furies—a combination of Abe Sapien and Chappie-style robot warriors—don't get much screen time in this issue. Still, I enjoyed meeting new characters and seeing Betsy and Rachel force the legendary Morgan Le Fay to switch tactics. While much shorter than its predecessor, Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 delivers a satisfying story with a uniquely British sensibility. Pair it with a strong cuppa and a Jammy Dodger for maximum enjoyment.